1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to configurations for folded paper towel products and more particularly, to folded, interleaved sheet toweling for dispensing from existing sheet towel dispensers.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with a variety of fold configurations for use in the sanitary sheet products such as paper towels, tissues and napkins Generally speaking, the different fold configurations have been employed to reduce dimensions, and/or to facilitate dispensing. Known fold configurations include C-fold, V-fold, Z-fold and numerous others which may be generally referred to as folded towels By way of example, an interleaved V-fold towel is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,291,479 to Greiner, et.al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,948 to Furbeck, et.al. Furbeck, et.al. further teaches the method and apparatus for interleaving Z-fold as well as V-fold towels Various other fold configurations are either the subject of or at least displayed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,518 to Schutz; U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,290 to Sjoman, et.al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,595 to Heater, et.al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,516 to Donovan; U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,605 to Donovan; U.S. Pat. No. 3,047,141 to Burns; U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,223 to West; U.S. Pat. No. 2,244,630 to Metternich; U.S. Pat. No. 2,009,464 to Winter; U.S. Pat. No. 1,698,823 to Rasmussen; U.S. Pat. No. 1,706,166 to Hunt; U.S. Pat. No. 1,962,762 to Campbell; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,501,662 to Horwitt.
Typically, folded sheet towel products of the type dispensed in lavatories are stacked and banded together as a package for shipment and storage prior to use. Folded towel sheets are loaded into the dispenser as a stack. Often, due to the nature of the particular fold configuration employed, the stack of towels must be loaded with a specific orientation in order to promote convenient and efficient dispensing. For example, a C-fold configuration towel must be positioned with a specific face downward if dispensing is to be convenient and efficient without promoting excessive dispensing failures such as dispensing more than a single sheet at a time. In the case of those which have specific promoting requirements, misloading not only results in inefficient dispensing and dispensing failures, but further often results in the user physically contacting the dispenser through the act of reaching through the dispensing opening to seize one or more sheets. Users often perceive this physical contact with the dispenser as an exposure to bacterial and viral infections and therefore wish to avoid such physical contact.
Another problem encountered in dispensing the paper towels is tab-out. Tab-out is that occurrence where a user with wet hands grasps the towel to be dispensed, for example, between thumb and forefinger. As the user pulls on a small section of towel which is now wet, it may fail such that the user is left with a small "tab" of towel between his thumb and forefinger with the remainder of the towel remaining in the dispenser.
Another problem which is often encountered with some of the more typical towel fold configurations is fall out. Fall out typically occurs as the end of the stack is reached within the dispenser. With a limited number of towels remaining in the dispenser, the user grasps a single towel and as that towel is dispensed, the remaining towels fall out of the dispenser resulting in waste. Fall out is a common problem of C-fold towels.